The Nuremberg Christmas Market, known locally as the Christkindlesmarkt, opens on Friday 27 November 2026 and runs until Christmas Eve on the Hauptmarkt, the main square of Nuremberg’s old town. It’s one of the oldest and best known Christmas markets in Germany, with written records going back to 1678 and more than two million visitors in 2025. Below you’ll find the confirmed 2026 dates and hours, where each part of the market is, what to eat, how to get there and where to leave your bags if you’re arriving by train.
Nuremberg Christmas Market 2026: Key Facts
| Dates | Friday 27 November – Thursday 24 December 2026 |
| Opening ceremony | Friday 27 November, 17:30, Christkind prologue from the Frauenkirche balcony |
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00–21:00 (city notice); 24 December 10:00–14:00 |
| Location | Hauptmarkt, 90402 Nürnberg, with stalls towards Rathausplatz and at the Lorenzkirche |
| Stalls | Around 180 wooden stalls with red and white canvas roofs |
| Children’s market | Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz |
| Sister Cities Market | Rathausplatz, closes 23 December |
| Entry | Free |
The city’s official market notice for 2026 lists 10:00 to 21:00 every day, with a short pause on the opening evening from 17:25 to 18:00 while the Christkind gives her prologue. Some tourism pages quote a later closing time, so check the official Christkindlesmarkt website before you plan a late visit.
The Christkind and the Opening Night
The market starts with the Christkind, a young woman from Nuremberg elected for two years, who reads the opening prologue from the balcony of the Frauenkirche at 17:30 on 27 November. Her gold costume is modelled on the Rauschgoldengel, the gold foil angel that hangs on many Franconian Christmas trees. The square fills up well before 17:00, so arrive early if you want to see her rather than just hear her. She also visits hospitals, care homes and schools during the season, and you’ll often spot her at the market on weekends.
Where the Nuremberg Christmas Market Is
The main market fills the Hauptmarkt in front of the Frauenkirche, next to the Schöner Brunnen fountain, with St. Sebald church just to the north. The stalls sell traditional goods only: no plastic decorations and no recorded music, which is part of why the square looks the way it does. Two smaller markets sit a few minutes’ walk away.
- Kinderweihnacht on Hans-Sachs-Platz, the children’s Christmas area, with an old carousel, a small Ferris wheel, cookie baking and glass painting. The Sternenhaus in the Heilig-Geist-Saal runs storytelling and children’s culture events.
- The Sister Cities Market (Markt der Partnerstädte) on Rathausplatz, north of the main square, with crafts and food from Nuremberg’s twin towns, including places in Scotland, Ukraine, China and Nicaragua. Proceeds from many of the handmade items go to charities in those cities. It closes on 23 December.
What to Eat and Drink
- Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, the small grilled sausages the city is famous for, usually ordered as “Drei im Weggla”, three in a bread roll.
- Nürnberger Lebkuchen, the soft local gingerbread. Elisen Lebkuchen are the ones with the highest nut content and little or no flour.
- Früchtebrot, a dense fruit bread that keeps for weeks, so it travels home well.
- Glühwein, served in a mug you pay a deposit on. Hand it back to get the deposit, or keep it as a souvenir.
The souvenir to look for is the Zwetschgenmännle, a little figure made from dried prunes, walnuts and figs. It has been sold at the Nuremberg Christmas market for generations and you’ll see whole families of them lined up on the stalls.
How to Get to the Nuremberg Christmas Market
| From | How |
|---|---|
| Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof | Walk north through the Königstor and up Königstraße, past the Lorenzkirche, to the Hauptmarkt (about 15 minutes) |
| U-Bahn | U1 to Lorenzkirche, then a short walk north across the river Pegnitz |
| Nuremberg Airport | U2 to Hauptbahnhof, then walk |
| Munich | ICE trains to Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof, roughly an hour |
| By car | Use a Park and Ride site or a city-centre car park; the old town is busy and largely pedestrianised |
Most visitors come by train, often as a day trip from Munich or as a stop on a longer Bavarian Christmas route. The walk from the station is easy and passes the Lorenzkirche, where some of the market stalls start.
Tips for Visiting the Nuremberg Christmas Market
- Visit on a weekday morning if you want space to browse. Friday evenings and Saturdays are the busiest times, and the last week before Christmas is crowded every day.
- Bring some cash. Many stalls take cards, but not all of them.
- Christmas Eve is a half day: the market shuts at 14:00 on 24 December.
- Walk up to the Kaiserburg castle after dark for a view over the old town roofs.
- Leave suitcases somewhere else. The lanes between the stalls are narrow and packed in the evening.
Luggage Storage in Nuremberg
If you’re visiting on a day trip or between hotels, you probably don’t want to drag a suitcase up Königstraße and through the crowds on the Hauptmarkt. Radical Storage has luggage storage near Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof, including lockers at the station and a partner shop close by, so you can drop your bags as soon as you arrive and pick them up before your train.
You book online in a minute and get free cancellation. Every bag is protected up to €10,000, and travellers rate the service 4.8/5. Radical Storage has more than 16.5K locations in over 2.3K cities, so you can use the same booking for the next stop on your trip.
Nuremberg Christmas Market FAQ
The Nuremberg Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt) runs from Friday 27 November to Thursday 24 December 2026 on the Hauptmarkt. The Christkind opens it at 17:30 on 27 November.
The city’s official notice lists 10:00 to 21:00 every day. On 24 December the market is open from 10:00 to 14:00.
Yes. Entry to the Hauptmarkt, the children’s market and the Sister Cities Market is free. You only pay for food, drinks and what you buy.
Walk north from the Hauptbahnhof through the Königstor and up Königstraße to the Hauptmarkt. It takes about 15 minutes. You can also take the U1 to Lorenzkirche.
Nürnberger Rostbratwürste (three in a roll), Nürnberger Lebkuchen gingerbread, Früchtebrot and Glühwein. The traditional souvenir is the Zwetschgenmännle, a figure made from dried prunes and nuts.
Radical Storage has luggage storage near Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof, about 15 minutes’ walk from the Hauptmarkt. Book online, drop your bags and collect them before your train. Each bag is protected up to €10,000.
